Moral Development Theories

Kohlberg's model of moral development has three stages, namely pre-conventional morality, conventional morality, and post-conventional morality. All the three stages in the context of my own life are discussed below.

Pre-conventional Morality

In this section, I am going to analyze the developmental stages I myself have gone through so far in my life. Kohlberg's pre-conventional morality is further divided into two parts, part one is in regards to obedience and punishment orientation, part two is in regards to instrumental purpose and exchange. Obedience and Punishment Orientation means that I viewed rules as imposed and external to myself. The decision about what's right is explained in terms of rewards and punishments and the exchange of favors. When I was a kid, I tended to avoid punishment at all costs, just like every other kid. I Thought ahead of time about what the consequences might be. For instance, I used to think in childhood that I should share my toy with my younger brother because if I don't, mom will yell at me. The second part of level one is, instrumental purpose and exchange, meaning a strong concern for personal reward/satisfaction. For example, in childhood, I never wanted to do my homework, but used to do it anyway because my mother did condition my play time with friends with my homework (Trevino, 2007, Pp. 136).

Conventional Morality

Kohlberg's second level within the hierarchy of personal ethical development called Conventional Morality consists of stage three and stage four.

Stage three focuses on an individual's approval from others on what to think, say, and do. This is known as looking around for ethical guidance. An individual is not following an internal compass, but he or she is looking around to see what superiors and peers are doing and saying to decide what is right. This stage is called Good boy-Nice Girl Orientation. A person earns approval by being "nice". An individual wants to please and impress others, and sometimes it involves self-sacrifice. For an example, I used to take my toys at my friends' places even without seeking permission from my mom just to please my friends. I believe I was doing the right thing by taking care of my friends even sometimes it resulted in break/lost of my toys. Most people are likely to do what is expected of them as a result of the reward system, role expectations, authority figure demands, and group norms (Wong, 2000, Pp. 62).

Stage four focuses on obeying the laws of society. A person wants to respect authority and to follow rules or laws designed to promote the common good. This stage is known as Law and Order Orientation, in which no one or group is above the law. For instance, my brother used to steal money from my mom's purse to buy and smoke weed. I once saw him doing that and decided to tell my mom about it even though he loved me so much and helped me out in so many ways. Although he was a good person in so many respects, I thought he should be prepared to accept the punishment for his actions because it is illegal to steal. Most people in society recognize that an outside source dictates what is morally right. I eventually told my mom about it that whatever he was doing was wrong and illegal. If I decided not to tell mom about and stay quiet because he loved and helped me out and was generally a responsible person, I would not have reached this stage. Moreover, there is a high likelihood that I may even start stealing myself.

Post-Conventional Morality

The post-conventional level is where judgments are based more personal principles that may not necessarily be defined by society's laws. The individual is less concerned about conformity which may (or may not) serve the interest of all parties involved; the main concentration is on human rights. Laws to a person at this level can be considered somewhat arbitrary, depending on the situation. Children do not have the ability to operate at this level until twelve years of age. Social contract orientation, stage five, acknowledges that rules, laws, and regulations are not seen as irrelevant but are important for insuring fairness. People that function at stage five realize there are times when rules do need to be flexible and should be changed if they are no longer beneficial in helping the needs of others, and that different societies have different views of what is right and wrong. The sixth and final stage of Kohlberg's theory is universal ethical perspective. In this stage, the person is governed by universal principles of right and wrong, and the need to satisfy one's conscience. Kohlberg believes few adults reach